Portable fire-escape.



W. F.' BAILEY.

PORTABLE FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2-1, 1913.

l 1 22,566, Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

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THE NORRIS PETERS CO., FHOTOLITHO., WASHINGIUN. D. C,

. narran sTATns PATENT, @Fmm i ,Y

WALTER. E. BAILEY,`0F Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, Assrcavoaon cnn-,HALF-'To y y ARTHUR L. scoTT, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. y v

PORTABLE vrian-Escrima.

specification 0f Letters Patent. Pawnee@ 1395,29, 1914 Application filed January 21, 1913. Serial No. 743,302.

To all whom it may concern: f V

Be it known that I, WALTER F. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Portable Fire- Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire escapes, and especially to a portable type of fire escape, and the principal object is to provide an eflicient device of small size capable of being carried by travelers and used by them to escape from hotels or houses where they may be domiciled, in case of re.

It is also an obj ect to provide a fire escape carrying a reel on which is wound a fireproof cable, with simple means to control the operation of the cable.

It is a further object to provide a metallic structure in which the reel is secured, and pneumatically operated means by which the speed of the unwinding of said reel is accomplished, controlled by a suitable valve together with a suspension strap by which the person is secured to the device.

In the drawings accompanying this specication and forming therewith the application for Letters Patent Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device, a portion of one of the cylinders and the valve casing being broken away to clearly show the control mechanism. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, viewed inthe direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the meshing gears. Fig. 4 is a central section through one of the cylinders to show the inlet and eXit ports therefrom. Fig. 5 is across section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, viewed' in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 6 is a detail in elevation of thelocking latch to secure the reel shaft in operative position. f

In the drawings numerals are used to indicate the same parts in the different views,

7 designating the frame of the apparatus composed of lateral sides with a V shaped top formed by bending the vertical side bars of the frame, the'apeX being provided with the bore 9 through which the cable is adapted to pass. The base of the structure is formed preferably of thehollow casting 10 on which are secured or cast the lcylinders 11, 12, 18 and 14, these cylinders being provided with an upper flange or'web 15 which extends laterally to include the upperv end of each of the cylinders, andl is secured to they frame 7 by means of suitable fastenings 16.

Mounted in eachvofl thecylinders is' the. plunger piston 17 provided with means for` expanding the leather cups included inthe piston in the well known manner, each pis-` 1741 ton being pivotally connected by a connecting rod 18, 19, 20 and 21 to each respective piston, these piston rods in turn being pivoted lon the crank shaft 22 which is provided with four cranks to accommodate the four 4pistonrods, placed preferably atouadrants in the circle of movement of the crank shaft.

This crank shaft is provided with suitable frame, and is preferably in parallel relation fili with the crank shaft. This reel shaft is. provided with a groove in which the feather 27 is secured to the internal .bore of the reel 28 adapted to engage so that the reel will be positively revolved with the shaft, the, s;-

positely disposed,v end from the gear being provided with the annular flange located outside of the adjacent frame in which the legs 29 of the sliding pawl 30'engage so that the shaft can not be slippedrfro'in engage.- 5* 1- The pawl 30 is slotted mentl with the reel. longitudinally, preferably in the same vertifcal plane with the aXes of the. two shafts, this slot accommodating the screw`r 31 so that the slide can be freely "reciprocated-on l" this headed screw and heldin' proper posiL. tion, the screw being threaded in the frame', yso as to provide, suflicient friction to firmly hold the pawl in engagement, and the pawl j is provided with an operating finger 32,.

r1`he reel 28 is of ordinary constructi'o'r'ig preferably of metal with the flanged 'ends 33'o`n which is wound thecable 34 preferably a wirecable of small cross section, and of such strength as to be 4capable of sustaining a load of 500' o r more pounds; The upper endof the cable after being passed through the opening 9, being preferablyv looped :at 35, and the free end secured bythe yclamp 36;

this loop'bei'ngof such size as to readil)7 'sl'ilA l over a bed post, a door knob or other suitable and convenient projections to forman anchorage for the apparatus when it is desired to use the same. The clamp acts as a stop to prevent the free end of the cable from pulling through the bore 9.

ln the walls of each of the pistons an inlet port 37 is provided, and in the lower end the port 38, this latter port opening into the valve chamber formed in the base of the casting 10 in which is mounted the controlling valve 39,-preferably a cylindrical inem ber provided with a plurality of grooves 40, 41 and 42 extending longitudinally on the periphery of the cylindrical member, the valve being so mounted that the ports 38 can be closed by revolving the face of the cylinder, in contact therewith, or a certain amount of air will be permitted to enter and exhaust through the respective grooves. These grooves 40, 41 and 42 extend throughout the length of the valve member 39 and are of equal sectional area throughout their length; the grooves, however, being of different sizes in relation to each other so as to vary the extent of opening of the ports 38,

/ site end being provided with a flange 46 to limit the lateral movement of the valve member. rfhe slots 40, 41 and 42 are carried clear to the shoulders, formed by the reduced threaded end so that they communicate to the outside air through the openings inthe mutilated washer 44 and permit the passage of air in and out as before stated. Preferably fastened to the casing 10 is the yoke 47 secured by the screws 48 to which the body strap 49 can be secured by means of the snap hook 50.

nthe operation of the device, the structure being adapted to be built of such small sizev as to be readily carried by travelers, and not to occupy very much room in the building in which it is supplied, the loop 35 is secured to any projection, as before stated, the person secures the body strap 49 under the arms in the usual well known manner, and by placing a tension on the cable until a window or opening is reached from which they wish to descend.v Here they climb out of the window with the valve 39 placed so that the grooves 40, 41 and 42 are positioned out of register with the ports 38, and by lowering -themselves carefully over the window ledge, the weight is thrown upon the supporting cable 34. l rlhe device being positioned within convenient reach of the person using same, the valve 39 may be operated by means of the hand lever 43 to move one of the grooves 40, 41 or 42 into register with the ports 38 to open communication between the interiors of the cylinders 11, 12 and 14 to the atmosphere and thereby permit reciprocation of the pistons 17; the pistons 17 being prevented from reciprocating when the ports 38 are closed.A 0n opening the ports the strain exerted on the cable 34 will operate to rotatethe reel 28 and the shaft 26 on which it is mounted through the key 27 the rotation of the shaft 26 being l transmitted to the crank shaft 23 through the `gears 25 and 24.

. The rotation of the crank shaft 23 will operate to reciprocate the pistons 17 in their cylinders, thus moving on the Lip-stroke drawing air into the cylinders through the inlet ports 38 and thus moving downward in the cylinders discharging air through the ports 38. I

It is manifest that the speed of rotation of the reel 28 and consequent unwinding of the cable 34 is proportionate to the velocity of the air drawn into the cylinders and discharged therefrom and that this velocity is proportionate to the extent of the open communication of the ports 38 to the atmosphere. lt follows that by closing the ports 38 rotation of the reel will be inhibited so as to stop the unwinding of the cable and prevent the downward movement of the person suspended from the strap 49, and that by turning the valve so that the smaller groove 40 will register with the ports 38 a slow rotation of the drum and unwinding of the cable 34 therefrom will be permitted and a consequent slow downward movement of the person suspended from the strap 49 will be effected. rlhe person, however, may increase `the descent as desired by operating the valve 39 to move either the groove 41 or the groove 42 into register with 'the ports 38 according to the speed at which it is desired to unwind the cable 34 from the rcel.

lnstead of a control valve in which the speed may be regulated7 it may be found preferable to have the valve fixed and so gaged as not lto exceed a certain speed in lowering, but in practice applicant has found that the valve is efhcient, and the downfall can be completely stopped by closing the ports 38 without shock or danger to the device and its supporting cable. lNhen the cable has entirely unwound, and the accupant of the strap has safely reached the ground, the unwound reel can be readily i others to be again used without waiting to l reel, a rotary cylindrical valve member eX- tending adjacent the lower ends of the cylinders having a series of longitudinally extending grooves therein of diiferent sectional areas communicating with the atmosphere, and means for rotating the valve to move said grooves in and out of register with the ports, whereby variations of speed of unwinding of the cable from the reel may be effected.

:2. In a fire escape, a plurality of alined cylinders formed with ports in their ends, pistons inA said cylinders, a crank shaft connected to said pistons, a cable carrying reel geared to said crank shaft, a portable frame supporting the cylinders, crank shaft and reel,

and a valve for controlling` tne passagey of air to and from the cylinders through the ports, whereby the speed of rotation of the reel may be varied or its movement inhibited, comprising a cylindrical valve member formed with a plurality oflongitudinally l extending grooves of lvarious cross-sectional areas adapted to be moved in `and out of register with the ports on the rotation of the valve.

Infwitness that claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 9th day of January, 1918.

y WALTER F. BAILEY.

Witnesses W. I. KEENE, n B. A. DYKHUzEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

